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Retired Australian cricketer joins national campaign against Islamophobia
The retired player, the first Muslim to represent Australia in international cricket, appeared at the campaign launch in Melbourne. The effort urges bystanders to report anti-Muslim incidents and will expand to other states after the Victoria event.
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A retired Australian cricketer who played 88 Test matches and 40 one-day internationals joined a national campaign launch in Melbourne on Monday to raise awareness of Islamophobic behavior. The 39-year-old, who retired in January after a 15-year career, said he experienced Islamophobia throughout his time with the national team and felt like an outsider for much of that period.
Campaign details The campaign encourages witnesses to call out and report incidents, noting that such behavior occurs at work, online, and in public spaces. A video released with the launch states that reporting incidents can lead to systemic change.
A special envoy to combat Islamophobia spoke at the event and described reported cases as the tip of the iceberg, estimating a 40 percent rise in incidents since December.
Personal background The retired player said his mother was verbally abused by spectators while attending a Test match in Melbourne a couple of years ago. He added that Muslim women wearing hijabs face greater challenges because their religion is more visible. The campaign will roll out across remaining states and territories following the Melbourne launch.
